After nearly losing my little remaining sanity trying to contact a human being at dvla I finally found a number which,after a brief and acceptable pause,is answered by a real person,please make it available to all,it's 01792 XXXXXX,phew,Steven.

Admin - 01792 number removed as no longer used by DVLA

puffin369 wrote on Feb 15^th, 2010 at 4:18pm:

After nearly losing my little remaining sanity trying to contact a human being at dvla I finally found a number which,after a brief and acceptable pause,is answered by a real person,please make it available to all,it's 01792 XXXXXX,phew,Steven.

Hi and welcome to SAYNOTO0870.COM.

There is no reason for alternatives to the DVLA's published numbers because they are all 0300 ones! Maybe overseas callers would need them, but for calls from within the UK, the 0300 numbers are the best way to get in touch.

Perhaps somebody would like to start up SAYNOTOIVR.COM.

Many supporters of SAYNOTO0870 would support the cause. It may however be more difficult to get hold of alternative numbers that are truly suitable. In most cases the aternatives would be a very long list with wordy explanations.

SilentCallsVictim wrote on Feb 15^th, 2010 at 5:15pm:

Perhaps somebody would like to start up SAYNOTOIVR.COM. Many supporters of SAYNOTO0870 would support the cause. It may however be more difficult to get hold of alternative numbers that are truly suitable. In most cases the aternatives would be a very long list with wordy explanations.

Such a website has been set-up, although it has a different name. I have no idea how effective it is, but we have covered it here and here.  ;)

Dave wrote on Feb 16^th, 2010 at 12:13am:

Such a website has been set-up, although it has a different name.

The website in question mostly contains shortcuts for use after accessing a IVR menu, although there are a few exceptions.

I understood that the suggestion was for a database of numbers that gave direct access to a human being without having to deal with a menu. The natural companion for this would be a campaign for organisations to provide this type of access as standard.

I personally can see the potential for all to benefit from call centres and "multi-competent" agents. This should not however prohibit or impede the possibility of taking the time to look up a direct number for a particular (truly competent) representative, or taking it upon oneself to bypass lots of unnecessary messages and tiers of menu to immediately join a queue for the known department or function that one wishes to contact. The other important feature, which again should be accessible directly if one chooses, is to leave a simple request for a call back when the call centre is not "dealing with an exceptionally high volume of calls".

If a call centre were to offer such a premium quality service then there may perhaps be less of problem in paying a premium rate to call it. I would see the need for such a campaign to be separate from that against revenue sharing, as the emphasis would be on the issue of quality rather than simply that of cost.

I used the geographic number puffin369 mentioned, after being unable to get through to the 0300 number (or any other 0300 number) all day at work. Option 5 on the menu got me straight through to a real person. So far so good.

She then asked me to hold while she transferred me to the "right department". Which turned out to be the 0300 menu driven system, where I had to trawl through no fewer than 5 menus of up to 6 options, none of which seemed to address my particular issue, until I finally got to speak to somebody. Now I know why puffin369 was close to losing his sanity. At least at the end of it all there was a nice sing-song Welsh accent to listen to.  :)

Perhaps it's time to give the DVLA/DfT some "feedback" about how to run a customer drivern service???

I'd recommend starting here

It's an online form, save's calling them to get stressed.

:)

Thanks. I've completed that form. In fact with good reason. My wife got a personalised numberplate, but a month later got a tax disc renewal notice with the old registration number. That's why I wanted to phone in the first place. When I finally got through to the web site - which unbelievably was down for "urgent maintenance" at least between 1pm and 4pm - I found that I couldn't re-register the vehicle because there was no record of an MOT test certificate for the new registration number. Apparently it isn't part of their procedure to update MOT information to reflect a change in the registration number of the vehicle concerned.

If they were a private company they would go out of business within days.  >:(

Further to the above, I wanted to warn people that you have to be very careful when googling dvla to contact them; the first hit is actually some dodgy site that uses 09040 XXX XXX as a contact, I am concerned that people in a hurry could be conned into using this number without realising what it is, I seem to remember from previous forum threads there was something similar for the passport lot.   Isn't it about time govt did something about this?

Secondly, when going down and using the link from google to renew a tax disc, the directgov website uses the 0870 numbers for contact!   I didn't search any further as I know from this site that they use 03 numbers, but really, how out of date are they??

PS Has anyone else with a tax disc due to expire at the end of March not received their renewal?   Am I being over cynical in thinking these reminders have been deliberately held back to catch people out in the budget next week?   After all the govt could raise vehicle tax from midnight that night & catch all those who hadn't renewed early.

Barbara,

If you did not have your reminder or even receive this for car tax disc, you can still renew it using one of the forms at the Post Office, taking along the appropriate MOT certificate and insurance certificate.

QED.

James Bond

Barbara,

With reference to DVLA/Taxing your car online.

My parents recently wanted to Tax their car online, to see how the service worked. After a few initial hicups they managed to get it right.  Dad receives an e-mail from DVLA/DfT regarding the posted disc and is informed if he has not recieved it in 5 working days to call them on a 0870 number.

Knowing that the letter from DVLA/DfT show's an 03 contact number, I e-mailed them pointing out the error. A few days later I recieved this "response" -

"As of 1 September 2009, and in line with OFCOM’s recommendations, DVLA has changed to 0300 numbers instead of 0870 numbers. Calls to 0300 numbers will cost the same as calls to geographic ones and be included as part of any inclusive call minutes or discount schemes for geographic numbers. This will apply to calls from any line. The 0300 and 0870 numbers will run side-by side, until a decision is made to permanently turn off the 0870 ones.

I can confirm that customers ringing the 0870 numbers now hear an automated message advising them that the number has changed to 0300, however, the customer will still be connected and charged at the 0300 rate for their call.

The Agency has many forms and leaflets, a number of which will still display the old telephone numbers. Due to cost efficiency, there is no destruction process and any literature bearing the old information is being changed as it comes up for renewal or amendment. DVLA will also be amending it's website's at the earliest opportunity."

I am interested is the statement regarding the cost of the call (0870 at 0300 rate) is true and intend to reply advising them the following:

If they have had an 03 number since 2009. why in 2011 does the automated e-mail STILL advise the 0870 number? Are they un-able/un-willing to amend a simple e-mail script?

How are they sure of the call cost of the 0870 number as apposed to the 03 one?

I will post back any responses.

Thanks, CJT-80, as I read the response I was thinking the same as you say at the end!   I don't actually want to tax my car online as I have a perfectly good post office nearby where I can tax it, & would rather put my business there & don't want to pay the credit card supplement (also having had a bad experience yesterday trying to book a hotel room online, I know these things don't always work & there is the legal risk with car tax).  I just let fly to DVLA on the comments form as I haven't received my renewal reminder, it is the first one due since we moved & we did get new registration docs at the new address, perhaps my cynicism as to the reason for lateness is misplaced, perhaps they're just plain incompetent???!!!!!!!!!!!  I also find it very odd that their FAQs don't have one relating to how to tax your car if you haven't received your reminder, it was be a very common occurrence.  I look forward to reading any response you receive.

Thanks, James Bond, that is what we'll do if we have to, it just seems a little odd as we have always received the renewal reminder in the past, hence my suspicions.

Barbara wrote on Mar 17^th, 2011 at 5:05pm:

don't want to pay the credit card supplement

Barbara, you don't have to. You get the choice of credit or debit card and if you chose debit card there is no supplement.

I have taxed mine and my wife's car on line for many years now and have never had a problem. The tax disc is usually on the door mat within a couple of days.

Thanks, sherbert, may give it a try, I just feel I want to support the local post office (I gather they have lost even more govt business now), particularly being new to the area (use it or lose it & we lost the PO where we used to live).

CJT-80 wrote on Mar 17^th, 2011 at 3:27pm:

Quote: I can confirm that customers ringing the 0870 numbers now hear an automated message advising them that the number has changed to 0300, however, the customer will still be connected and charged at the 0300 rate for their call.

It would be interesting to know which telephone companies have authorised this statement.

There are around 200 registered providers of telephone service in the UK and each has a number of different tariffs. Whilst all providers are required to charge for 03 calls at no more than the rate for geographic calls, only one of them is subject to regulation of its rates for calls to 087x numbers, and that no longer covers 0870. This confirmation could therefore only be provided on advice from each and every one of these providers. In almost every case it would amount to special treatment for particular 0870 numbers, as an exception to published tariffs.

I suggest that the author be asked whether they are serious in offering this confirmation, or whether some necessary qualification has been omitted.

It would be most extraordinary if this statement were to be true. "I can confirm ..." is however a very bold statement for a public official to make, so to challenge it directly would represent a serious allegation of misconduct.

Barbara wrote on Mar 17^th, 2011 at 6:11pm:

Thanks, sherbert, may give it a try, I just feel I want to support the local post office (I gather they have lost even more govt business now), particularly being new to the area (use it or lose it & we lost the PO where we used to live).

Going off topic a bit, you have to wonder what is the purpose of the post office these days. I believe the majority of people have their benefits, pensions etc. paid direct into their bank accounts, thus putting the local hoodies out of work as they are unable to relieve people of their benefits etc. As I mentioned earlier, car tax can be done on line as can the TV licence which I understand you can't buy at the post office anyway. Those who do get their benefits by cash will not be able to get them at the post office as the post office has lost this contract. Stamps can bought anywhere. Utility bills are in the main are paid by direct debit or on line. The only reason as far as I can fathom is that a post office is there, to have your passports checked, post a package that wont go into a letter box and but an odd postal order.

I think post offices are doomed.

Barbara wrote on Mar 17^th, 2011 at 5:05pm:

Thanks, CJT-80, as I read the response I was thinking the same as you say at the end!   I don't actually want to tax my car online as I have a perfectly good post office nearby where I can tax it, & would rather put my business there & don't want to pay the credit card supplement (also having had a bad experience yesterday trying to book a hotel room online, I know these things don't always work & there is the legal risk with car tax).  I just let fly to DVLA on the comments form as I haven't received my renewal reminder, it is the first one due since we moved & we did get new registration docs at the new address, perhaps my cynicism as to the reason for lateness is misplaced, perhaps they're just plain incompetent???!!!!!!!!!!!  I also find it very odd that their FAQs don't have one relating to how to tax your car if you haven't received your reminder, it was be a very common occurrence.  I look forward to reading any response you receive.

This is a courtesy by DVLA and is in no way obligatory on their part, the onus to have your vehicle road legal is on you, your permanent reminder is the disc in the corner of your windscreen

.

sherbert wrote on Mar 18^th, 2011 at 9:22am:

Going off topic a bit, you have to wonder what is the purpose of the post office these days. I believe the majority of people have their benefits, pensions etc. paid direct into their bank accounts, thus putting the local hoodies out of work as they are unable to relieve people of their benefits etc.

Townie?

We use our village sub-Post office for paying into and drawing cash from our current account (A&L - haven't been into the 'local' branch [11 miles away] for ages), buying VED discs for our cars and anything else we can.

However, the local Co-op has a Paypoint window so I have to agree that the chances of the P.O. being a viable business (they are privately run) for much longer are getting more and more limited.

Heinz wrote on Mar 18^th, 2011 at 10:17am:

Townie?

Not at all, we use the village co op for 'cash back'.

I agree with you though with your comments, though putting in a few bob and making withdrawals can not be a money making exercise for the sub post office can it?

Derrick, thank you for that, we had always thought you needed the reminder to tax it at the PO unless it was a first application to tax that particular vehicle.  BTW the reminder did arrive this morning.

My original point with this post was that there are dodgy sites which appear when googling and could mislead the unwary and that the dvla itself has not updated its details on the directgov website which I find quite reprehensible after having had the 03 numbers for so long (their point about reprinting costs for stationery etc might be reasonable but how much does it cost to update a govt webpage?)

In regard to taxing vehicles online I have never had a problem and as our Post Office does not tax vehicles the Post Office is not an option.

In regard to "Not Receiving A Reminder" this is not a problem either as the Post Office stocks all the relevant forms - If my memory serves me correctly it is either a V10 or V11 form to tax a car if a valid reminder is not available

bazzerfewi wrote on Mar 19^th, 2011 at 7:43pm:

If my memory serves me correctly it is either a V10 or V11 form to tax a car if a valid reminder is not available

If the V11 reminder form is not available or hasn't arrived, use a V10 (available at most Post Offices or print at home from the below link).

http://www.dft.gov.uk/dvla/forms/~/media/pdf/forms/V10.ashx

Barbara wrote on Mar 18^th, 2011 at 11:47am:

Derrick, thank you for that, we had always thought you needed the reminder to tax it at the PO unless it was a first application to tax that particular vehicle.  BTW the reminder did arrive this morning. My original point with this post was that there are dodgy sites which appear when googling and could mislead the unwary and that the dvla itself has not updated its details on the directgov website which I find quite reprehensible after having had the 03 numbers for so long (their point about reprinting costs for stationery etc might be reasonable but how much does it cost to update a govt webpage?)

Barbara,

I have just e-mailed them and pointed this out. I will message back when I have a reply.